GOP Bill Targets ISPs, DNS, VPNs to Block Piracy
▼ Summary
– US Representative Darrell Issa has introduced legislation requiring ISPs to block foreign piracy websites based on judicial orders.
– The bill aims to accelerate copyright enforcement beyond the current notice-and-takedown process under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
– Issa argues that rapid blocking is necessary to prevent piracy from funding terrorist groups and criminal networks during live events.
– Critics, including Public Knowledge, contend the proposal creates a broad censorship regime that could disrupt small businesses.
– Opponents argue that targeting website operators in court is a more effective approach than forcing service providers to block traffic.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has introduced legislation designed to empower copyright holders to compel Internet service providers, DNS services, and VPNs to block access to foreign piracy sites. The proposed law would allow rights owners to secure judicial blocking orders that network operators must then enforce, effectively cutting off user access to infringing domains at the infrastructure level.
Issa, who is stepping down from Congress at the end of this year, joins a bipartisan effort to establish a formal site-blocking framework long advocated by the Motion Picture Association. He formally submitted the bill following a June 30 hearing where he outlined his intent to tackle the rapid spread of online theft. During that session, Issa highlighted the limitations of current enforcement mechanisms.
“While millions of listings for copyright-infringing content are removed every day under [the] notice-and-takedown process set forth in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, right-holders have raised concerns with the speed,” Issa said at the hearing. “Can we do it at the speed of sound? Can we do it at the speed of light? More importantly, in a 45-minute or sometimes a fraction of that live sports broadcast, can we do it soon enough to make it no longer profitable for those who pop up and sell their clandestine wares?”
The Representative argued that combating digital piracy is not just about protecting intellectual property but also about disrupting funding streams for terrorist groups and other criminal enterprises. However, the proposal faces significant opposition from civil liberties advocates who warn that such measures could lead to widespread internet censorship. Critics argue that the bill places an undue burden on service providers, potentially harming small businesses that might be incorrectly flagged as pirate hubs.
Meredith Rose, senior policy counsel at Public Knowledge, criticized the approach as a flawed solution that bypasses due process.
“Rather than attacking the problem at its source by bringing the people running overseas piracy websites to court, Congress and its entertainment industry allies have decided to build out a sweeping infrastructure for censorship,” Rose stated. “Site-blocking orders force any service provider, from residential broadband providers to global DNS resolvers, to disrupt traffic from targeted websites simply accused of copyright infringement.”
(Source: Ars Technica)
